Chocolate Banana Cream Pecan Cake

I know, I know, another cake recipe, but this one was too good to not post! This cake is seriously amazing. The banana cake is fluffy and moist, the pudding/filling is creamy, the chocolate frosting is the best chocolate frosting I’ve ever had, and the candied pecans just top it all off. My family loved it.

Ingredients: Banana Cake (from here, adapted very slightly)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (3 bananas)

Banana Cream Filling (from here)

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/16 teaspoon table salt

1/4 cup half-and-half (or heavy cream)

2 and 1/2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 cup milk, I used whole

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium banana, sliced and layered below the pudding

Chocolate Frosting (from here)

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup whole milk

3 cups powdered sugar

Candied Pecans

1 pound pecans

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe: Banana Cake

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease two 8×8 pans and line them with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix in the mashed bananas.

Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until flour disappears.

Spread cake batter evenly into the  two prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before filling and frosting.

Banana Cream Filling

Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan on low heat. Whisk in the half-and-half, followed by the egg yolks and milk until the mixture is smooth.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth. This can take between 5 and 10 minutes. The finished texture should be like not quite set pudding, very thick but not gelatinous.

Remove the pan from heat and strain. Whisk in butter and vanilla.

Let the mixture cool.

Chocolate Frosting

Beat butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Mix in cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk.

Beat in powdered sugar until smooth.

Frost cake.

Candied Pecans

Preheat oven to 250F.

Mix cinnamon, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.

Whip egg white and water, in a separate bowl, until foamy.  Toss pecans in egg white mixture.

Pour cinnamon/sugar mixture over the pecans and toss until evenly coated.

Spread on cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Garnish cake with them.

Enjoy!